BSc (Hons) Cell and Molecular Biology Pathway

Pathway students enrol on the undergraduate BSc (Hons) Cell Molecular Biology at Glasgow Caledonian University. In the first two years, you will study the HND Applied Biological Sciences at Glasgow Kelvin College while preparing for year 3 and 4 (for Honours) of the degree at GCU.

you are interested in genetics, biology and molecular and cell biology

you want to help improve patient diagnosis, therapies and find cures

you enjoy hands-on practical lab work

you work best with lots of interaction from lecturing staff

you like working towards clear goals with a sense of achievement at the end of each year of study.

What you will study

Although you are a student enrolled on the BSc Hons Cell & Molecular Biology programme at Glasgow Caledonian students, years 1 and 2 of the programme will take place at Glasgow Kelvin College.

The first 2 years will involve you working towards achieving an HND in Applied Biological Sciences and the subjects you study will underpin the teaching at Glasgow Caledonian University in year 3 and 4 of the degree. Modern medicine is increasingly dependent on understanding how cells and molecules interact.

This programme focuses on how human cells function in disease and health and draws on a variety of disciplines including, genetics, molecular biology, cell biology and pharmacology. Knowledge of the interactions between molecules, cells and organs, studied in cell and molecular biology, enables the biologist to identify factors in individuals that confer susceptibility to disease, providing opportunity for the development of more accurate methods of diagnosis and the design of improved therapies or cures.

In Years 3 and 4 aspects of cellular regulation, immunology and molecular medicine are studied. In every subject you will engage in high levels of practical scientific work, constantly enhancing your lab skills, which are essential for a smooth transition to the workplace.

The "hands-on" learning you will engage in allows greater interaction with lecturing staff and understanding of the subject matter, helping you to progress through the programme with knowledge of the subject which is both theoretical and practical. This degree has been developed from the long established and respected Applied Biosciences degree, which has been taught at the university for many years.

The School of Health & Life Sciences has an excellent teaching & research record and combines a friendly learning environment with state-of-the-art facilities.

Departmental staff are committed to their students offering an "open door" policy and a variety of support mechanisms tailored to the individual needs of students.

Entry Requirements

Progression

You can progress to Level 3 of the BSc (Hons) Cell and Molecular Biology with the HND Applied Biological Sciences with an AB in graded units.

All entry requirements listed here should be used as a guide and represent the minimum required to be considered for entry. Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place may be asked to achieve more than is stated.

English language

Academic IELTS score of 6.0 (or equivalent) with no element below 5.5

Please note: if you are from a majority English speaking country, you may not be required to provide further proof of your English Language proficiency.

Additional information

Other Academic and Vocational Qualifications

Each application to GCU is considered on an individual basis. If you do not have the typical academic entry qualifications, but can demonstrate relevant work experience and/or credits from recognised professional bodies, you may be eligible to enter this course via the University's Recognition of Prior Learning scheme.

Scholarships

We provide high-quality education for a fair price; as the University for the Common Good, we are committed to offering accessible higher education for talented students by keeping our tuition fees low and providing a generous scholarship package of over £2.5 million per year.

Find out more

Employability

A degree in cell and molecular biology opens the way to an extensive array of career destinations.

There are careers in research and in development and these may be in research institutes or in industry, such as the pharmaceutical industry, health and medicine. Biotechnology enterprises also recruit graduates with this qualification. The completion of the human genome sequence has provided a further spur to activity in the bio-health area.

According to Scottish Enterprise, expansion of employment opportunities in this sector is currently outstripping availability of graduates, meaning you will enjoy excellent career prospects upon graduating.